Half Alive
by tthalia
Summary: I'm almost alive, and I need you to try and save me. -Troyella oneshot-


A/N: don't own the Secondhand Serenade lyrics & I surely don't own hsm... the plot, though, I'm gonna call that minee. :D

**Half Alive**

_"It's four AM, I'm waking up to your perfume  
Don't get up, I'll get through on my own  
I don't know if I'm home or if I lost the way into your room  
I'm spiraling into my doom..."_

She twirled around in circles, her ruffled skirt spinning with her as the moon shone light on her dark, curly hair. The smile on her face was undescribable, so big, so happy. It was impossibly contagious, leaving him with one to match. He laughed, staring at her circling form as the rain sprinkled down above her.

She laughed just the same, her smile growing wider by the second as her clothes and almost fragile body became damp with soggy rain water. He sat there on the bench, intently watching her every move.

The park trees blew in the wind, howling like a wolf on the hunt. He saw her shiver and stood up, deciding on taking her home. It was late, dark, and raining. They needed to be in bed. They should've already been home.

His motions slowed as he approached her, oscillating on the sidewalk like a ceiling fan. She had to be getting dizzy, with all that spinning. He was sure of it. Her actions, her smile, her laughter, and his absurd but x-rated thoughts made him laugh, infectiously. She stopped her rotating and looked at him with sparkling eyes.

"What?" she asked, creasing out her wetting skirt.

"You." He smiled, approaching her.

A mischievous grin roamed her face as she held her stance, one hand on her hip, the other twisting a lock of hair. As he got closer, his curiosity grew. She was up to something. He smirked, walking faster. But just as he met the spot she once stood, her figure darted into the early morning darkness.

"Ah, ah, ah! You'll have to catch me first." she declared, scurrying down the sidewalk in a childish skip.

"Not fair!" he pleaded, following after her, tromping down the sidewalk in her direction.

"You want me, you'll work for it!" she called out.

She'd stop every so often, only to stick her tongue out or wink then continue on her merry way. He'd laugh each time, savoring the moment. Using his mind as a figurative camera, he took shots of her wandering a long the hard cement path, wanting to cherish this forever.

Her legs stopped, as she smiled in defeat. Her hands raised to an unbalanced level, one lower than the other and she let out a sigh of loss.

"Alright. My legs are tired and..." she paused, catching her breath. "I'm out of breath so you win. I'm yours." He smiled victoriously and came closer to her, making his way where she stood only ten feet before him.

Suddenly lights beamed in her direction, shimmering on her like an unclaimed spotlight. Screeching tires serenaded a call of depletion, as the lights came closer and closer. Her eyes widened, her body turned; facing the direction of the light that was coming nearer each moment. Her steps were frozen, legs unable to move. A struggled shriek released from her mouth, curdling his blood, as the car came within reach.

Brakes? Brakes? Where were the God damned brakes!

"Gabriella!" he yelled, running for her. Just then, ten feet became so much more and he found himself barely making it. He pushed her body out of the way with as much force as he could muster, the adrenaline barreling her feet away; but not far enough.

His body fell limp in front of the car, she hunched over, her brain secreting to the pain as she crawled over to his distant body. He laid there, twisted and bloody. Bruises already appearing, dark enough to be visible in the dreary light.

"Tr-Troy?" she hushed.

"Ga-brie-ella." he slurred, eyes switching from open to closed; from life to death. "You... okay?" he asked, so terribly quiet she could barely hear.

She nodded, lying, tears ripping down her face as she cradled his head in her lap. She knew she wasn't okay, the pain that twitched through her body was definitely a sign that she was not okay. But he need not know that, not right now. She winced in pain, her back slouching down next to him.

"The paramedics are on their way!" a distant voice shouted, it's echo coming from all directions.

"Why did you push me out of the way? You foolish boy!" she whispered in the form of a begging shout. Her tears and rugged breath made the words only clear to his ears. Only he knew.

"You're... bleeding." he breathed, his hand slowly rising to her forehead. But it quickly dropped down back to it's place on the sidewalk, as he found no strength to hold it the longer.

"I'm fine, Troy. Don't waste your strength." she pleaded, hiding her pain as best she could.

"I love you... Ga-Gabriella. So, so much. Too much, may-maybe." His eyes glossed over, becoming glassy and wet.

"Don't say that like it's 'good-bye.'" she ordered, clutching his left hand in hers. Tears trickled down from her eyes, dropping on his hand.

"Hey..." he mumbled softly, a pure, barely noticeable smile grazing his lips. "Don't cr-cry."

She raised his hand to her lips and traced his knuckles with her cheek, tears wetting his scratched hand. His chest pounded with eager awaiting pain, every breath costing him more and more.

"My... my pocket." he muffled, coughing roughly only to have a sprinkle of blood disperse on his white button-down shirt. She let out a silent, yet shrill cry before allowing her hand to enter his pocket, the one closest to her.

She straggled out a small, red velvet box rimmed neatly in gold metal.

"I-I was... going... to ask you to... marry me." he struggled through the words, holding on with all that he was.

"Go-going to?" she grimaced at his use of past tense, "Don't talk like that. You will ask me, and I'll say 'yes.' It'll be a beautiful wedding..." The words left her mouth, wandering out into the air. The rain abruptly stopped, but the thunder still roared above; as if calling to him.

"I-I'm sorry." He spoke so quietly, "I... I should've... been better."  
_  
_"Better? No! You're perfect, absolutely perfect. I-I love you." Her crying became more forceful, shuddering became her expression as her body convulsed.

"Gab..." Her name suddenly became too hard for him to say as he gripped her hand with what was left of his strength. "Kiss me."

She didn't have to utter another word before her lips met his in a meaningful, desirous kiss. Her tears dampened his already wet face as she laid her head down on his chest. He held in his wince of pain as her head met his heart.

Her ears forced themselves not to hear it's slowing pace, the rate of which was beginning to end.

"Take care of Chad. Some... sometimes I think not even Taylor can handle him." His hand raised to wrap around her waist, only to stay for a second before it fell back to the ground.

"Where is the damn ambulance?!" she shouted, her voice aching with the scream.

"Brie..." he sighed, his breath decreasing each time his chest rose. "It's too late."

"No, no, it's not! Don't say that!" she cried, pelting up from her position.

"I love you, Brie. I-I love... you. Ever... since we met. It's... it's always been... you."

"I love you, too, Troy. But- but you're not going anywhere. You can't leave me, here... alone, by myself."

"Sweetheart," he cringed, gripping his chest. "You'll never... be alone. You've always got... Taylor, Chad — and your mother. My parents, too. And even... Shar-Sharpay."

"No!" she shouted, crying to his flinching body. The blood was spreading in a puddle around her, but she failed to notice.

"I want _you_, Troy!" she begged, grasping his shirt with rath.

"But... you have me." he mumbled, clearing his throat. "I'll always be there... even if I'm not _there_." He tried to smile, reassuringly.

"Please, baby, just hold on! 'Til the paramedics get here, they'll save you." she strained, the throbbing in her body going unnoticed._  
_

"You... you know that... blue vase in the... hallway? The... old antique one?" She only nodded, whimpering at the sound of his raspy voice. "I-I-I broke it... not Chad. We... were playing football in the house. Even... though you said not to." he chuckled, dryly, cringing when he did.

"And... and the stain... in the living room... I did that, too. Spilt by... orange... soda." he continued, confessing to silly accidents. She smiled, sadly, frowning seconds later.

"None of that matters, now. It's alright... I'll have time to yell at you for that la-later." she rationed. "B-but if we're con-confessing then, I wear your clothes when your on bu-business trips."

He smiled, cheerily, tightening his hold on her hand.

"I know... my shirts al-always... smell like you."

"Ta-take care of yourself, Brie." he whispered, "Don't get into... too much trouble." he coughed again. "I'll... I'll be watching." he said with one last wink as his eyes flickered back and forth; from life to death, until finally his chest rose one final time. His hand fell limp in hers as his eyes shut for the last time.

"Oh, God!" she wailed, resting her head on his still chest. "Troy!"

Lightening cracked and the rain continued once more, wind wailing around her.

"I love you..." it seemed to be whispering as sirens wailed in the background.

_"I'm almost alive, and I need you to try  
And save me.  
It's okay that we're dying,  
But I need to survive tonight, tonight.  
I need to survive tonight, tonight."_

His eyes flickered open to the visual of a dark, eerie bedroom, his body shooting up in a jolt of shock. The silence, the effervescence of serenity, and the damp feeling of the outside wind swirled around the room. The curtains blew from the open window as lightening cracked just above. A sweetening smell of rain coiled through his nose while his gaze cast down to the girl in his arms who stirred awake at the sudden movement.

"Troy? Honey, are you alright?" she questioned, rubbing the sleep from her eyes as she stared at his distressed face with worry.

Sweat sprinkled his forehead, and perspiration rolled down his bare back. She raised a hand to rest on his arm, comfortingly.

"Yeah, it was just," he paused, taking time to catch his breath and savor the reality. "It was just a dream, I'm fine."

"Alright," she kissed his cheek, and then his lips, pulling him back down next to her. She rolled over, resting her head on his chest – right above his heart.

"I love you, Gabriella."

"I love you, too." she replied, kissing his shoulder before drifting off to a world only she knew.

"I'm half-alive." he muttered, sighing happily as he kissed her forehead with passion. "Just a dream."


End file.
